PETER LEWIS: Over the past decade, this self-appointed lambassador has taken sheep meat marketing by the scruff of the neck. And it seems Australian consumers have responded to this tough love - lamb sales in the week preceding Australia Day have leapt by as much as 30 per cent.

Glen Burke is with Meat and Livestock Australia.

GLEN BURKE: It was all about positioning lamb. In the old days, it was considered old-fashioned and fatty and there was a bit of resistance in the consumers.

We gave it a personality in line with Australia - you know, it was bold, it was quirky, controversial, those sorts of things. And we really positioned it so it stood away from all the other proteins that were out there.

(Excerpt from 'Lambnesia' Ad)

SAM KEKOVICH: Recently I got in the head and haven't been feeling myself since.

GLEN BURKE: People either love him or hate him, but they all talk about him, and that's really the crux of the whole programme.

PETER LEWIS: And Lamb's front man is as surprised as anyone that the campaign still has legs.

SAM KEKOVICH: Whilst we like to thump out our chest and say we've done a magnificent job promoting it and marketing it - which I think we have - but the real accolades should go to the farmers who, as you know, in the preceding decade or so have done an outstanding job in some very trying and testing times.

PETER LEWIS: And those farmers could certainly use a break.

This time last year, some were spiriting their sheep out of floodwaters - now, many face the heartbreaking task of putting stock burnt in bushfires out of their suffering.

We see the fires at the moment, and if there's not fires there's drought, so that forces some people out of the industry. But certainly, when there's money to be made, that sparks the interest again and they do come back.

So it is cyclic, and hopefully we'll get many more coming back in to produce this product.

PETER LEWIS: And with Australia Day in mind, the lambassador was asked a tricky diplomatic question about the difference between Australian and New Zealand lamb.

SAM KEKOVICH: Ours are purely for consumption.

(Laughter)

You might want to think your question through a little bit better next time.

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